Control device



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:Pr-Arnia rar-EN oLINToN W. BROWN, or Monersvlnnn, im Jenn n.

me @nieuwe CONTOL QEVIQE,

Application.A led: Februaryivl, 1939-. Serial No. 425,755.

This invention relates to printing machines and particularly toiiexiblycontfrollerd@ printing machinesl of the type in which a seriesof printing members are arranged and operated to print each a differentpart otia design or apart of different designs in suc-h order` as toform a succession, ofc-complete in, dividual designs upon a. relativelylong`l Web of material intermittently fed into; and through the machine.The invention also re,-A lates to a flexible control for suchm-achines.

In the printingof rug designs upon along Web of material, such asasphalt impregnated felt base material employed in malingfioorcoverings, it is very desirable not only tobe able to print acompartively large variety of lengths of rugs in a single machine, butalso to be able to readily change the design being printed andlalsoto beable t ,change the order in which parts of the design ane printed;Various mechanical means have been devised and utilized for controllingthe operationof the printing members ofl print-ing: machines of thisgeneral type to cause-,themftoprint atV the desired points and in the.desired order upon the webct materialv so as to form a suc cession ofcomplete designs, and provision has been made` forA varying the ordervoff operation and the numbery of; printing-members. in order to permitthe adaptation of7 the ma-VV chine to different designs;A but thechangingfrom one design to another or frein one ori-der` of operation toanotherl with these previous. ly known Controls has heretoforef involvedconsiderable adjustment-ofthe control mechanism, requiring theexpenditureotjconsiderable time and skill in determining and effecting`the proper adjustments tobe made..

The present invention aims not only to simplify the control of-theorde'rof operation of the printing members of a. machine, of theaforementioned type and the adjustment from one order of operation toanother, particularly in those machines. that employ a plurality of setsof printingmembers such as; field members andiborder members, etc.,

but also to provide for a greater iiexibility of adjustment, that is,adjustment of' the con-fV trol to handle more complicated designs than thave heretofore readily been practicable. in

machinesof this type,

one design orfsequence of designs to anothr Without, interrupting,rvinterfering with the operation of the machine. `f

litisialso an object ofjtheinvention top ro-y videV tpl mor-e. completeand more centralized control as Well as a simpler, control than hasheretofore been available,

Inthe printing ofaseries of ruge or others designs upon a relativelylong Webof mate,-

ri-al, e. g., the; asphalt;- irnpregnated felt base Y be an evenmultiple of thedesign length, and

the Wehis.l free from defects which would Inakeany part unsalableltheseries eide-signs may beiprintedi uninterruptedly Without anygreat'diiiculty in making economical use of the material. If, however,the length of: the, web is not an even] multiple otk the design lengt-hland/or1 if the material has defects-in it the overlapping: ot thev endeor the defects by a design would spoil the entireportion of thevvebcovered these. designs, thus multiplying many times the, loss occasionedby each defect or-.break- The ordinary printingVv machines have notprovided any means which cou-ld be used Withsuilicient economy to savethe loss thus occasioned.

Oneo the objects otthe present invention is soto construct" and arrangethe control s s, i SQlSSeaOF raIeeeEIfeHIA, PEeNf SYLVANL@ A SSeNSeS,Bfr MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TQ. Stoere-,Breen Somone.

e. g. designscomprising CQm-phcatedcoloreffects, and toV Changefrom.

ofthe operation of the printing. blocks that p the printingof'desilgnsin predetermined order may be automatic as long as it is desired toprint the design sections in uniform sequence, but so that it will,nevertheless, be subjectto. such easy and quick modiication While themachine is running, that the operator may vary one or more designs atWill and thus interpose a shorter or a longer design between the lastautomatically printed design and a flaw onbreak which Would fall Withinthe, regular design if repeated. It is thus an object of our inventionto put the control of the design at the finger tip of the operator sothat he may, while watching the material for flaws, change the design soas to utilize to advantage the entire portion of the web material whichis free from flaws, or may leave as much of it as may be desiredunprinted.

A particular object of the invention is to facilitate the printing onany portion of the material of any design or any portion of a i designrepresented by any block or group of blocks set up in the machine, orthe leaving of any portion of the material imprinted at the will of theoperator. Other objects are the improvement of the individual means forcontrolling the operation of the printing members and the putting of theautomatic control of these means in compact formand at a point on themachine where it is readily accessible foradjustment and manipulation bythe operator.

Another object of the invention is to construct and arrange the controlof the operation of the printing blocks in such manner as to be able toquickly and readily set the machine so that the blocks' will print in aprearranged order, or as quickly and readily to change the setting sothat the automatic printing will be in a di'erent order. It is also ourobject to make the control always capable of manual manipulation totemporarily change the automatically operated sequence, but so that whenthe manual control is relinquished the automatic sequence will at oncebegin again.

Other objects and important features of the invention will appear fromthe following description and claims when read in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which: t

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of the machine showing thearrangement vof the printing heads along the path of travel of the webof material and the arrangement of the control mechanism adjacent to theend of the machine at which the material enters;

Figure 2 illustrates more yin detail the printing head and theelectrical locking mechanism for rendering the printing head temporarilyinoperative;

Figure 3 is an end view of the controller mechanism taken on line 3--3of Figure 9;

Figure 4c is an end view of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 3 takenon thev line H of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view partly in cross section of one timing switch and itsoperating cam taken as indicated by the line 5 5 on Figure Figure 6 isanother timing switch taken as indicated by the line 6-6 on Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a view partly broken away of the automatic controllermechanism taken in the direction indicated by the line 77 of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a vertical cross section of the controller mechanismillustrated in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the righthand of the machine showndiagrammatically in Figure 1 and illustrating more in detail thecontroller mechanism in position on the machine;

Figure 10 is a cross section through the ratchet and driving gear forthe automatic controller mechanism;

Figure 11 is an end view of the same ratchet with its pawl and drivinglink and showing its shaft in cross section;

Figure 12 is a view partly in section of the mechanism for projectingcontact pins in the controller mechanism;

Figure 13 is a view partly in section through the rotary member of thecontroller illustrating how the Contact pins are returned to theirretracted position;

Figure 14 is a view partly in longitudinal section through the mastercam and its driving linkage controlling the automatic sequence ofprinting;

Figure 15 is a view taken on line 15-15 of Figurey 14;

Figure 16 is a view of the master cam and associated mechanisms takenyon line 16-16 of Figure 14;;

Figure 17 is a View taken on line 17-17 of Figure 14;

Figure 18 is a wiring diagram of the electrical control apparatus;

Figures 19 to 23 illustrate diagrammatically various set-ups foraccomplishing different results with the apparatus of our invention; and

Figure 24C represents the sequence of operations in certain of the partsina preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings a conventional type of flat bed block printing machineis illustrated in which there is a bed 2 over which the mate` rial 4 tobe printed is moved forward intermittently in steps of equal length bysuitable mechanism. not shown. A number of printing` blocks 6 arecarried upon presses 5, each printing block having a portion of thedesign to be printed on thematerial and being lo- -cated above thematerial moved over the bed 2. The'blocks 6 are each raised into theinoperative position shown in Figure 1 and lowered into the printingposition and into engagement with the material to be printed by cams 8,one on each side of the bed 2, secured to rotating shafts 10. The cams 8engage rollers 12 carried by slide carriers 14 to the upper ends ofwhich the printing blocks 6 are secured. l

Each machine may include as many printing blocks as desired, twenty-fourblocks being a number often employed. The printing blocks are ordinarily18 inches wide and spaced apart a distance of 18 inches. The material ismoved forward in intermittent steps of 18 inches each so that adjacentsecloe tions of the material alternately come under the printing blocks,i. e. each is printed on in one operation and is between the printingblocks during the following operation of the presses.

The machine illustrated in the drawings and shown diagrammatically inFigure 1 is one adapted for multicolor printing operations. In machinesof this type each block as it prints appliesone color to the section ofmaterial beneath it, after which the material is moved forward untilthat section is in position beneath another block which prints anothercolor on the same section of material. In this way any number of colorsmay be applied to any given section of material depending upon theVnumber of blocks employed for printing that section of the material.

`When adjacent sections of the material are to be printed with differentdesigns or different portions of the same design, as in printing rugshaving borders extending across the material, orin printing complexdesigns on the material, it is necessary to .latch up or renderinoperative certain blocks while printed sections of the material passYbeneath those blocks and to release other blocks to print on thosesections of the mate* rial which have been left unprinted by the otherprinting blocks.

In normal operation the slide 14 carrying the printing block 6, islifted by the cam 8,

acting through the roller 12, to a positionwhere it is clear of the weband in which the block 6 may be covered with paint or ink. I'Vhen theweb is in printing position the cam reaches its low portion and theslide 14 is permitted to fall by its own weight to print the portion ofthe design carried by the block 6. In order to latch up those blockswhich are to be held inoperativeduring any portion of the printingoperation each block has associated therewith on each side of the bed 2,a latch 16 mounted on a rock shaft 19 and movable into engagement with alug` 20 carried by the slide carriers 14.to preventY the block fromdescending to print on the material asthe cam 8 continues to rotate.

In the form of the invention illustrated the latches 16 for each blockare moved into the locking posit-ion shown in full lines in Figure 2 andinto the released position shown in dotted lines by means of the rod 22one end of which is secured to the lever 24 keyed to the rock shaft 19on which the latches are secured and the other end of which is securedto a three-armed crank 26. A turnbuclle 28 is carried by the rod 22 foradjusting its length.

The three arm crank 26 is provided with two arms 30 and 32 located onopposite sides of the shaft 34 on which the crank 26 is pivotallymounted. An operating rod 36 is connected to either of the arms 30 or 32as desired. IVhen. the operating rod is connected to the arm 32 asshown, upward movementof the rod causes the latch 16 to move to the leftto release the block and allow lit to print. However, when the operatingrod 36 is connected to the arm 30 upward movement of the rod causes thelatch 16 to move to the right to hold the block in its raised orinoperative position. This construction of the latch operating mechanismrenders it possible to latch up certain blocks and to release otherblocks by similar actuating impulses or means. The operating rod isnormally held in the lowered position by the weight 38, and is raised bymeans of the solenoid 40 acting on the core 42 secured to the bar 44which is pivotally connected to the frame 18 and to which the lower endof the operating bar 36 is pivotally connected.

To provide for emergency operation of the latch 16 a hand lever 33 ismounted on the shaft 34 and is rigidly secured to an arm 35 which mayengage the crank 26 to move it in either direction against the force ofthe weight 38 or of the solenoid 40.

l/Vhen not in use any block may be locked in is raised or inoperativeVposition by means of a pivoted stop 45 secured to the frame 18 adjacentto the `lower end of the latch and movable into the'dotted line positionshown in Figure 2 to hold the latch in engagement with the lug 20 sothat the block` will be held in its raised or inoperative position.

Each of the cams 8 which raise the printing blocks is formed with anarcuate portion 46, one end of which is provided with a high spot 48which raises the slide carriers 14 and the lugs 20 above the projectingend of the latches 16y so that the latch can freely move into and out oflocking position. When in the locking position an undercut hook portionof the latch 16 engages beneath the lip 50ion the lug 2O and is held inengagement therewith, and against accidental displacement, by the weightof the slide 14 and related parts carried thereon.L When the slidecarriers 14 are held in the raised position by the latch 16 the roller12 is held out of contact with the arcuate portion 46 of the cam 8 butis engaged by the high spot 48 on each revolution of the cam 8 to raisethe slide carriers and lugs and permit the latch to be withdrawn by theweight 38 or by the solenoid 40. This device also serves as an accuratemeans oftiming thev operation of the latch, since the solenoid 40 or theweight 38 is not strong enough to releasethe latch until the slide 14 islifted by the high spot on the cam.

In order to insure the positive movement of the latch 16 during theshort interval of CII time in which the slide is lifted by the high Yspot on the cam, the solenoid 40 is energized shortly before the arrivalof the high spot 48 at the roller 12 and is kept energized at L leastuntil the high spot of the-cam is completely past the roller 12. i Thistiming of the energizing of the solenoid 40 with the -high spot 48 iseffected by means of a cam 52 shown in Figures 3 and 6 mounted on theshaft 54 which rotates in timed relation to the rot-ation of the liftingcams 8. The cam 52 engages a switch operating member 56 for closing aswitch 58 to permit an impulse to be given to the solenoid 40.

Machines of the type described above may be employed in printing designson material in any desired order. .Such machines may be used to printroll goods, that is, material on which the design is repeated at regularintervals throughout the length of the material or the machine may bearranged to print a series of complex designs on long Webs of material'to simulate rugs, the rugs being cut apart after being printed on theWeb of material. In thev simplest operation the design is repeated, forexample, every 18 inches and the printing blocks are 18 inches Wide. Thematerial in this case Will be advanced beneath the blocks inintermittent steps of 18 inches each. Only one set of blocks is neededto print this type of design and each block in the set prints a portionof the design, usually a different color, on the material. li the design.be printed in live colors one set of ve blocks may be employed and eachblock Will apply its color to each 18 inch section of the material. 'Y`When the design is repeated every 36 inches two sets of blocksarepreferablyemployed, each block being'18 inches Wide, each set of blocksprinting only one-half of the design and each block in a setprinting aportion of that halrn of the design. Such a design is diagrammaticallyillustrated at the bottom of Figure 19. The sections marked vA areprinted with the desired colors by one set of blocksV While thesectionsmarked B are printed With the desired colors'by another set ofblocks. Y

The separate portions of the design may be repeated atv intervals spacedas' desired, aset of blocks being employed for printing each portion ofvthe design and each set ot-blocks including at least one bloclr for eachcolor to be lprinted on that section of the material to which itcorresponds.

ln the printing of designs to simulate rugs the design may be dividedinto as many portions as the characteristics of the design may require.For example, in printing rugs as illustrated 1n Figure 21 the sectionsmarked A may be printed by a set of blocks Which applies the lielddesign and the siderborders oit a rug and the sections of the materialmarked B may be printed by another set of blocks which appliesoppositely faced nine inch end borders of two adjacent rugs which arelater to be cut apart. Y

Ina similar Way the rug design may be made up of three, four, live orany number of design portions which are to be printed on the material.The number of sets of blocks to be used is dependent upon the nature ofthe design to be printed. ln printing complex designs the number ot setsot bloclr'sis increased correspondingly since each set of blocks printsonly one portion of the design; Figures 21 and 22 illustrate rug designsprinted with tivo and three sets of blocks ref spectively. Vl henamachine of this type 'is operating on long Webs ofV material it isdesirable at times to allow an unprinted section of the material to passthrough the machine, as when asection ofthe material is imperfect ordamaged. Furthermore, it is often desirable to change the entire orderof the printing operations in order to repeat portions of the designWithout repeating the Whole design or to print different designs onsucceeding rugs or sections 'of material. Thus, in order to attain thegreatestlexibility of operation, the present invention includesmechanism by which `the machine is controlled to cause the sets oiblocks. to print in any desired order or to be held'inope'rative for anydesired length of time independently of any printing operations whichhave preceded or Which are to follow and entirely at the will of theoperator. design and operation are effected in the constructionillustrated by means of actuating or controlling mechanism forcontrolling the operation oi the solenoids 40 which operate the latches16 to cause the printing blocks to be rendered operative and/orinoperative.

' In the form of actuating or controlling mechanism illustrated, acontroller 188 may be rovided foreach set of blocks usedin printlng thedesign.. Thus in printing roll goods having the Vdesign illustrated inFigure 19,

two sets of blocks' are required and two controllersmay be used each ofwhich controllers regulates the operation of a different set of printingblocks. All of the controllers are substantially the same inconstruction Y but each is adjustable to cause the printing blocks towhich it is connected to be operated to print on any desired section ofthe material. The controllers are located at the end of themachine nearthe point Where the material passes from the supply rollonto the bed 2,so that the operator can Watch `for imperfections in the material andmanipulate the control mechanism in time'to change the printing order asrequired and can from the inspecting position determine exactly Whatprinting operation shall takey place on each individual 18 inch sectionof the material before it enters the machine.

Each controller 138, as more clearly illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, isprovided with a plurality of equally spaced contact brushes 70 arrangedin a circle Within the casing 72 and electrically connected to thesolenoids Such variations in the L ist

